Nivolumab and Ipilimumab versus Ipilimumab in Untreated Melanoma
In this double-blind study involving 142 patients with metastatic melanoma who had not previously received treatment, doctors randomly assigned patients in a 2:1 ratio to receive ipilimumab combined with either nivolumab or placebo once every three weeks for four doses, followed by nivolumab or placebo every two weeks until the occurrence of disease progression or unacceptable toxic effects. [New Engl J Med] Full Article|Press Release

Delineation of a Novel Dendritic-Like Subset in Human Spleen
Human L-dendritic cells (DCs) were identified as a hCD11c+hCD11b+HLA-DR−hCD86+ subset in the spleen, along with the previously described subsets of hCD1c+ DCs, hCD123+ plasmacytoid DCs, hCD16+ DCs and hCD141+ DCs. Three subsets of monocytes were also characterized. [Cell Mol Immunol] Abstract

Chemokines, Their Receptors and Human Disease: The Good, the Bad and the Itchy
Aberrant expression or function of chemokines, or their receptors, has been linked to protection or susceptibility to specific infectious diseases, as well as the risk of autoimmune disease and malignancy, revealing critical roles of these molecules and their receptors in human health, disease and therapeutics. The authors focus on human diseases that provide lessons regarding the critical role of these specialized and complex cytokines. [Immunol Cell Biol] Full Article

Immunotherapy Drug Pembrolizumab Shows Early Promise for Mesothelioma Patients
The PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab, a cancer immunotherapy drug, shrank or halted growth of tumors in 76 percent of patients with pleural mesothelioma, a rare and deadly form of cancer that arises in the outer lining of the lungs and internal chest wall. [Press release from Penn Medicine discussing research presented at the 2015 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting, Philadelphia] Press Release